Adjustable seat for gunners in armed aeroplanes and the like.



T. 0. M. SOPWlTH.

ADJUSTABLE SEAT-FOR' GUNNERS IN ARMED AEROPLAN ES AND THE LIKE.APPLICATION FILED AUG.14, 1911.

1,275,624. PatentggAug. 13,1918.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS OCTAVE MURDOCK SOPWITH, 0F KINGSTON -UPON-THA1VIES, ENGLAND.

ADJUSTABLE SEAT FOR GUN NERS IN ARMED AEROPLAN ES AND THE LIKE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS OCTAVE MUR- DOCK Sorwrrrr, commonly known asTHOMAS Sorwrrrr, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland,residing at Canbury Park Road, Kingston-upon-Thames, in the county ofSurrey, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inAdjustable Seats for Gunners in Armed Aeroplanes and the like, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to adjustable seats for gunners in armedaeroplanes and the like and consists of an improved method of and meansfor automatically locking the adjustable seat in any position the gunnermay desire.

In order that the gunner can adapt his position to train the gun in themost satisfactory manner within the confined space available in anaeroplane or the like, the seat is eccentrically mounted on a pivotcarried by a suitable fixed stand and a locking device is provided forlocking the seat to the stand, said device automatically coming intooperation when the seat is occupied and becoming automaticallyinoperative when the seat is relieved of the weight of the occupant.

In order that my invention may be fully understood, I will moreparticularly describe it, making reference to the accompanying drawingin which Figure 1 is a view in side elevation part1 in section showingthe seat and its stand, the locking device belng in its inoperativeposition, and

Fig. 2 is a view in plan thereof.

In both views similar parts are marked with like letters of reference.

The seat a, which may be of any suitable construction and is preferablyof circular shape, has a plate I) fixed eccentrically on its under side.This plate carries a pin a which fits in a socket d carried by a stand 6which may conveniently comprise a plurality of legs as shown in theaccompanying drawing. On the upper part of the socket cl or on a plateor flange d thereon and on the opposite face of the plate 6 mounted onthe seat a are serrations 7 which when they are engaged prevent therotation of the seat a relative to the stand e and thereby lock the seatin position. These serrations are normally kept out of engagement by aspring k located in the bottom of the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 14, 1917. Serial No. 186,233.

socket d and operating between same and the bottom of the pin 0 to liftthe pin and therefore the seat. To limit the action of the spring 7L andconfine the seat a to the stand 6 a reduced extension 0 of the pin 0passes through a hole in the bottom of the socket (Z and is provided onits free end with a collar 0 which may conveniently take the form of anut as shown in the accompanying drawing.

It will be appreciated that when the weight of the gunner is on the seatthe serrations f are in engagement and the seat is locked againstrotation and that when the gunner desires to alter the position of theseat all he has to do is to relieve the seat of his weight when the seatbecomes free and can be turned in any desired direction, and that itwill become locked again as soon as the gunner returns his weight to theseat.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters atentis 1. A seat for gunners in aeroplanes and the like comprising a seat,an eccentrically arranged pin mounted on the under side of said seat, astand for said seat, a socket carried by said stand and adapted toreceive the pin carried by the seat, a vertically engaging lockingdevice between said pin and said stand, and a spring operating betweensaid pin and said socket to keep said locking device inoperative.

2. A seat for gunners in aeroplanes and the like comprising a seat, aneccentrically arranged plate mounted on the under side of said seat, apin carried by said plate, a stand for said seat, a socket carried bysaid stand and adapted to receive the pin carried by the seat, a lockingdevice consisting of a series of serrations on the plate carrying thepivotal pin and a series of serrations on the upper face of the socketin which said pin Works, and a spring operating between said pin andsaid socket to keep said locking device inoperative.

3. In a seat for a gunner in an aeroplane or the like, the combinationwith the seat, of a plate fixed eccentrically on the under side of saidseat, of a pin carried by said plate, of a stand adapted to be fixed tothe aeroplane or the like, of a socket carried by said stand and adaptedto receive said pin, of a series of serrations on the plate carrying thepivotal pin, of a plate or flange on the upper end of said socket, of aseries of serrations in said plate or flange, and of a spring actingbetween the socket and the pin mounted in it as set forth.

l. In a seat for a gunner in an aeroplane or the like, the combinationof a seat a, of a plate Z) fixed eccentrically on the under side of saidseat, of a pin 0 carried by said plate, of a stand 6 adapted to be fixedto the aeroplane or the like, of a socket d carried by said stand andadapted to receive the pin 0,

10 of a series of serrations f on the plate on the seat, of a series ofsimilar serrations on the socket carried by the stand, of a, reducedextension 0 of the pin a passing through the bottom of the socket (Z, ofa collar or enlargement 0 on said extension exterior to the socket d,and of a spring h acting between the socket (Z and the pin 0.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name. I

THOMAS OCTAVE MlLRDOGK SOPWITH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Eatents, Washington, D. 13.

